Centra Ballymena named among Northern Ireland’s top fundraisers after raising thousands for cancer charity

(L-R) Isobel Harris, Maria Cairns, Brenda Stewart, Mark Killough, Hannah McDowell, Joanne Mooney, Bri Carleton, Nicholas Porter, CJ Hayes, David Glass and store manager Kevin Killough.

A Ballymena convenience store has been recognised as one of Northern Ireland’s top fundraising Centra outlets after helping raise thousands of pounds to support vital cancer detection services across the region.

McCool’s Centra Ballymena raised £2,389 for Action Cancer during 2025, earning recognition from Musgrave NI as one of the highest-performing Centra stores in Northern Ireland for charitable fundraising.

The achievement reflects a year of fundraising efforts by the local team, alongside participation in major charity initiatives organised across the wider Centra and SuperValu store network.

The money raised contributes directly to Action Cancer’s work delivering life-saving breast screening, skin cancer detection and health checks to communities throughout Northern Ireland.

Supporting vital health services

Fundraising at Centra Ballymena came through a combination of local initiatives and larger campaigns coordinated by Musgrave NI.

Among the most successful was Frank and Honest’s annual ‘Espresso We Care’ campaign, during which 50p from every Frank and Honest coffee purchased over a four-day period was donated to Action Cancer.

The initiative proved particularly successful in 2025, generating more than £25,000 across participating Centra and SuperValu stores.

Alongside special fundraising events, year-round collection buckets in stores also contributed to the final total.

The funds raised help Action Cancer maintain its Big Bus service, which travels across Northern Ireland providing accessible cancer screening and health assessment services in local communities.

In 2025 alone, the Big Bus visited 130 communities and delivered:

• 2,226 mammograms

• 1,016 health checks

• 230 skin cancer assessments

These services are designed to improve early detection and make preventative healthcare more accessible, particularly for people who may find it difficult to attend appointments elsewhere.

Recognition for Ballymena team

Maurice Cusack, Head of Retail Marketing for Centra and SuperValu, praised the Ballymena team’s efforts and highlighted the wider impact of store fundraising across Northern Ireland.

He said:

“We’re incredibly proud of the positive impact the Centra and SuperValu brands continue to make as a force for good in communities across Northern Ireland. I’d like to extend a huge well done to the entire team at Centra Ballymena on their outstanding fundraising success.

“It’s fantastic to see how the individual efforts of stores come together with Musgrave’s established annual fundraising initiatives to deliver real impact.

“Working collectively, we’ve raised a record-breaking £253,000 in 2025 to support our charity partner, Action Cancer, in their work to deliver vital preventative detection services to communities across Northern Ireland.”

McCool family stores recognised across County Antrim

Centra Ballymena was not the only store operated by the McCool family to receive recognition for its fundraising efforts.

SuperValu Ballymoney ranked among the top five SuperValu stores in Northern Ireland after raising £3,317 for Action Cancer during 2025.

Meanwhile, SuperValu Kells also made a significant contribution, raising £3,132 for the charity over the same period.

Together, the three County Antrim stores contributed almost £9,000 towards Action Cancer’s work, helping fund services that continue to reach thousands of people across Northern Ireland every year.

The recognition highlights how community fundraising at local stores can have a direct impact on healthcare services, helping Action Cancer continue delivering screening, prevention and early detection programmes in towns and villages across the province.